As it turned out, White Puff did seem to have some degree of water resistance. When Salazzle used Water Pulse, the damage wasn't the main concern the large bundle of cotton on White Puff's back had blocked most of the water. Only a thin outer layer became beaded with droplets, and there was no sign that the inner cotton had absorbed any water or shrunk. Even its weight remained unchanged.

The exact mechanism wasn't clear yet, but a surface waterproof layer seemed like a reasonable explanation.

As long as it didn't end up fully submerged, there likely wouldn't be any risk of waterlogging slowing it down.

"White Puff, you're amazing!"

Yuri took the chance to scoop White Puff into her arms and buried her face into the soft, plush cotton. But she didn't activate White Puff's ability so the Pokémon's tiny body, dangling in midair, simply gave Marie a helpless look.

She hadn't expected to be ignored like this after evolving. That, at least, was something new and unwelcome.

"Alright, calm down a bit."

Marie reached over and took White Puff into her own hands, turning it so its face was directed at Yuri.

"Hehe... sorry, sorry."

Yuri scratched her head sheepishly when she saw White Puff's expression and carefully placed her partner back into her palms.

Marie didn't bother helping this silly girl appease her Pokémon. Now that her curiosity had been satisfied, she returned to her own team.

"Thanks for your hard work, Sii-chan."

She walked up and tapped the stone surface lightly. Sii-chan responded by scooting over to the side.

"Chiru! (I already cleaned it off. No need to wipe it.)"

Marie paused, then looked up at her with a smile and gently patted her head.

"I see. Thanks."

Without ceremony, she sat down beside her. Momo toddled over, using Sii-chan's arm for support, and climbed onto Marie's lap. Even then, he didn't let go of Sii-chan's hand.

"He really likes you, huh?"

"Chiru... (I don't get it...)"

Sii-chan didn't try to pull her hand away and casually allowed the clingy electric mouse to hold on. She turned and gave him a quick glance.

"Chiru! (He's just way too clingy!)"

"You weren't exactly any better back then."

Marie poked her on the forehead, but Sii-chan quickly turned her head away, dodging the finger.

"Chiru! (What are you talking about... I wasn't like that! Maybe just a tiny bit, but definitely not this much!)"

She was probably blushing, though with her face turned, Marie couldn't really tell. Still, she figured Sii-chan was a little embarrassed at having her past brought up.

Marie withdrew her finger without teasing her any further. Even though it hadn't been that long ago, Sii-chan had evolved and now acted more like a proper young lady. It was understandable that she might see that clingy version of herself as a little embarrassing.

"Cha...?"

Sitting between the two of them, Momo looked up, still clutching Sii-chan's hand. He didn't understand what they were talking about after all, he was just a newborn electric mouse.

. . .

That night, after a full day of training and watching Hop's Gym Challenge, both Marie and Yuri were thoroughly exhausted. After dinner, they returned to their hotel room and soon got ready for bed.

Marie had finished washing up and walked barefoot to the bedside, her hair hanging loose. What she saw was White Puff, a giant bundle of cotton nestled tightly in Yuri's arms.

She sat down beside Momo and patted his head with a sigh.

"You're really planning to sleep like that?"

"What's the problem? I held her all day and she didn't shed at all. It'll be fine!"

To prove her point, Yuri even rubbed White Puff's cotton again. It was the kind of action that just screamed "jinx," and Marie had no idea how to respond.

"Nya~ (Ahahaha! That tickles! Stop!)"

White Puff giggled uncontrollably, and Marie shrugged.

"Alright then. As long as you know what you're doing."

She pulled back the covers and got into bed. Momo quickly climbed in after her, lay on his back beside her on the pillow, and squinted his eyes shut.

"Ha good night, everyone. Good night, Marie-chan."

Yuri turned on her side, hugging White Puff tightly, and closed her eyes as she watched Marie's profile.

"Yeah. Good night."

Click.

Across the room, Sii-chan raised a hand and turned off the lights. She rolled over and casually flung all her limbs over Eevee, who barely reacted. There was no elegance to her sleeping posture at all.

The room fell quiet. Only the soft moonlight streaming through the window illuminated the space.

Once everyone had drifted off, all that remained was the gentle sound of steady breathing.

Then...

Pop. Pop.

A faint noise, like something bursting, echoed quietly in the room.

"Mmm..."

Yuri, now covered in a thick layer of cotton, stirred uncomfortably. She subconsciously tightened her arms and shifted her position.

White Puff, crushed in her embrace, frowned. Her real body was being squashed flat, and the stress began to trigger a subconscious defense. Without even realizing it, she activated her Ability...

Pop pop pop!

The sounds came faster and more urgently. Cotton Spore exploded from her body, with each burst releasing even more fluff that spread across Yuri's chest, then gradually began to spill toward Marie's side of the bed.

Cotton, after all, was light, bulky, and lacked any real weight or impact.

The bed soon became a sea of fluff. Though it hadn't yet risen past their heads, and the other Pokémon hadn't been affected, Marie, Yuri, and Momo were slowly being buried in the ever-expanding cotton avalanche.

White Puff's Ability also carried a slow-down effect. Though Yuri didn't feel uncomfortable, she instinctively felt restricted.

In her dreams, she found herself tied up, bundled, and carried off by strangers who knows where to. The panic that followed triggered another burst of movement in her sleep, and she thrashed with just enough force to set off another round of explosions.

Pop pop... pop pop pop!

More and more cotton burst from White Puff's tiny body. Despite being barely half a meter tall even including her fluff, she was now producing an impossible volume of cotton that continued to multiply.

Eventually, it wasn't just Yuri Marie and Momo were now completely submerged.

Until a cotton puff happened to land squarely on Momo's face... and slipped into his mouth.

"Cha...?"

He felt something weird in his mouth. Then came the choking sensation, and panic took hold. He instinctively began to squirm.

"Cha-cha-!"

The overwhelming sensation of being trapped triggered a surge of anxiety. In that moment, he lashed out with a reflexive move not particularly powerful, but enough to make an impact:

Rapid Spin.

Fwoosh pop crack!

"Cha! Cha...? (Take that! Uh...?)"

Poof!

The Rapid Spin cleared the bed in an instant, blasting all the cotton away. Momo snapped fully awake only to come crashing down directly onto Marie's face.

"...???"

Marie groggily raised a hand and peeled the dazed electric mouse off her face. Blinking through the cotton-covered chaos, she stared blankly at the now-laughing Momo, then at the sea of white fluff all around them.

She blinked again.

"What... just happened?"

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